Vice Media Group set to open regional HQ in Riyadh

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Updated 05 January 2023
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Vice Media Group set to open regional HQ in Riyadh

  • The company’s new base in the region, located in the Jax cultural district, will offer clients a full range of production facilities, including a podcast studio, soundstage and editing suites
  • ‘Our enhanced operations in the Kingdom are truly a testament to our continued drive and focus to contribute and be a part of the country’s dynamic youth culture,’ said Vice’s regional chief

RIYADH: Vice Media Group is preparing to open its new regional headquarters in Riyadh’s Jax cultural district next month.

The new headquarters will offer clients a full range of production facilities, including a podcast studio, soundstage and editing suites.

The company said it aims to expand its presence in the region and bolster its relationships with key partners in the Kingdom, including the Ministry of Culture, Saudi Research and Media Group, the NEOM smart city development, media conglomerate MBC, and the Royal Commission for Riyadh City.

Tarek Khalil, managing director of Vice in the Middle East and Africa, said the company will hire local talent to join its new operations.

“Our enhanced operations in the Kingdom are truly a testament to our continued drive and focus to contribute to and be a part of the country’s dynamic youth culture,” he added.

Young Saudis — defined as those between the ages of 15 and 34 years old — represented 36.7 percent of the Kingdom’s total population in 2020, according to the General Authority for Statistics. This growing youth population, combined with Saudi Arabia’s investments in arts and entertainment in recent years, represents a potentially lucrative market for global brands that cater to such audiences.

According to Vice, the group brought its unique brand of journalism to the Middle East in 2017 and delivers content covering sectors such as culture, lifestyle and entertainment in multiple languages including Arabic, Farsi, Urdu and English.

With the opening of its new regional headquarters, the company, which also owns a creative agency, Virtue, seems to be positioning itself to play a role in the ongoing cultural and societal transformation of Saudi Arabia.

“Our unique storytelling capabilities and presence in the Kingdom will allow us to grow our business and support new and existing partners who are looking to tap into younger audiences and be part of the Kingdom’s cultural movement,” said Khalil.
 


SRMG launches G.O.A.T, AI-powered sports platform for data-driven fans

Updated 13 January 2026
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SRMG launches G.O.A.T, AI-powered sports platform for data-driven fans

  • The launch comes at a time when Saudi Arabia is increasingly at the center of global sport
  • The app complements live broadcasts by keeping fans connected before, during, and after the game

RIYADH: The Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG) on Tuesday announced the launch of G.O.A.T, a new sports app designed to deliver fast, credible, and curated coverage in one destination. Built for a mobile-first generation, G.O.A.T is designed for a sports landscape evolving at unprecedented speed.

The launch of G.O.A.T comes at a time when Saudi Arabia, and the region more broadly, are increasingly at the center of global sport. Saudi football in particular has been undergoing rapid transformation, emerging as one of the fastest-growing and most closely followed leagues in the world.

“As fan behavior evolves alongside this growth, audiences are no longer looking only for headlines, but for trusted context, real-time access, and platforms that reflect how sport is experienced today,” the group said in a statement. 

Created to meet these expectations, G.O.A.T is an audience-first, data-driven app built for the AI age. It brings together real-time updates, breaking news, video highlights, and match insights in a simple, always-on experience designed around fan behavior and matchday flow.

The app complements live broadcasts by keeping fans connected before, during, and after the game, from instant goal alerts to key stories, highlights, and the conversations shaping matchday momentum across screens and platforms.

The launch marks the first phase of G.O.A.T’s rollout, initially focusing on football and the Saudi Pro League, alongside coverage of the world’s most prominent competitions. In its early release, the app serves as a leading destination for up-to-the-minute Saudi football news, grounded in SRMG’s editorial standards and designed to cut through misinformation and noise that increasingly dominate sports coverage.

In its initial release, G.O.A.T curates content from SRMG’s most trusted brands, including Arriyadiah, Asharq Al Awsat, Asharq Sports, and Sport 24, giving fans access to reporting, analysis, and match coverage from the region’s most established newsrooms through one unified product experience.

As the platform evolves, G.O.A.T is expected to unlock new monetization opportunities aligned with fan behavior and premium engagement. These include intelligent sponsorship integrations, data-driven brand partnerships, and premium experiences built around key moments and competitions. Designed as a scalable product platform, G.O.A.T enables brands, leagues, and partners to connect with highly engaged sports audiences through context-rich formats that enhance rather than disrupt the fan experience.

The launch of G.O.A.T also marks another step in SRMG’s expansion across the sports media ecosystem, following the group’s acquisition of exclusive rights to broadcast the Saudi Pro League across the Middle East and North Africa through Thmanyah.

Alaa Shahine Salha, Content Development Managing Director at SRMG, said: “G.O.A.T was built around a simple idea. Sports fans need speed, depth, and credibility in one place. This first phase establishes a strong editorial and community foundation. What comes next will expand how fans interact with content, match moments, and each other, powered by a smarter, data-led experience.”

SRMG said it will continue to evolve G.O.A.T through interactive and community-driven features that deepen participation and bring fans closer to the action, while maintaining a clear commitment to credibility and responsible reporting.

G.O.A.T is now available to download on iOS and Android.